


Moving On

by Little Cat (BigCatLittleCat)



Series: Naruto Be Dead [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Everyone Has Issues, Gen, Hatake Kakashi is a Troll, Hokage Hatake Kakashi, Just Not Always in Progress, Naruto be dead, Never Dead, Non-Canonical Character Death, Non-Canonical Shipping, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Part 1, Some of Them Even Got Kids Out of It, Uchiha Sasuke Gets a Genin Team, Uchiha Sasuke Redemption, Uchiha Sasuke-centric, Work In Progress, absolutely massive plot rewrite spanning several time periods and stories, canonical shipping, everyone has screwed up, everyone is concerned, except kakashi, light ptsd, light shipping, multi fic AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:21:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24490468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BigCatLittleCat/pseuds/Little%20Cat
Summary: The way to the graveyard was ironically well marked, despite how empty it seemed to be most days. There were always the landscapers put in charge of maintaining the site and a few stray families coming to bring their loved ones flowers, but it never seemed to invite more than that. Sasuke almost enjoyed the peace and solitude, particularly on days without missions.It was easy to get lost amid the polished rock, like a sea of grey across his vision. He could walk on for hours and hours without having anywhere to be or anything to do. Then he was there, standing before an all too familiar stone marked with an all too familiar name.“Hey, Naruto. It’s me again.” Sasuke sighed, kneeling down in front of the grave stone.
Series: Naruto Be Dead [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1769953
Comments: 8
Kudos: 35





	1. Chapter 1

# Prologue

The hospital was in upheaval with the recent arrival of several genin, back from an appearant suicide mission.

The day before, one of their subordinates had been kidnapped by Orochimaru, a rogue ninja who’d threatened the existence of Konohagakure only months prior during the disastrous events of the Konoha Crush. Now he’d taken the last surviving Uchiha, a promising young genin who’s abilities he hoped to possess for himself. What only those sent knew was that he went of his own free will.

These genin, including one of his own teammates, were sent to bring him back by any means possible.

They all knew and accepted the risks.

The mission was successful, but a sad note rang through the village of Konoha:

_“Naruto Uzumaki is dead.” ___

# Chapter 1

_15 years later_

____

The alarm clock rang furiously in the early daylight, forcing Sasuke to open his eyes. He had been lying awake for hours, feigning sleep, but now he actually had to get up and do something. He sighed, carefully switching off the clock and sitting up. The morning sunshine was bright and warm on his face, forcing him to squint. He’d probably feel better if he got moving. Sasuke finally got up, stretching as he prepared for the day.

____

Kakashi-sensei hadn’t given him a new mission since he’d finished his last one early, telling him to take a break.

____

“Yeah, a break,” he scoffed to himself, pulling on his jonin uniform. Sasuke grabbed the ring from his nightstand and rubbed its flat surface with his thumb. “What else do I have to do anyway?” He addressed it. The ring, naturally, didn’t answer.

____

Sasuke flipped the ring into the air and caught it before putting it in his pocket.

____

Outside, the sky was already bright and the air crisp with the slightest breeze wafting between the buildings. The streets were already busy as people moved about their lives, chatting in the street and checking off their grocery lists. It always amazed him that so many people could be so cheerful after just rising from sleep.

____

____

Sensei had often teased him for being grumpy when the man woke him just before dawn. Master Jiraiya hadn’t been much better.

____

____

“I guess I should visit him today… it has been nearly a week since I finished that last mission,” Sasuke murmured, rolling the ring across his knuckles like a coin. He didn’t have much else to do until he got another mission.

____

____

Making up his mind, he started making his way across town to the Yamanaka flower shop. It wasn’t a long walk, but he took his time and enjoyed the weather, which was already beginning to heat up. Sasuke pushed the door open, pausing to accustom himself with the myriad of smells before continuing on. Ino was organizing flowers toward the shop.

____

____

“Welcome to the Yamanaka Flowers! How may I-” She stopped as she recognized him. “Oh, it’s you.”

____

____

Sasuke nodded an awkward greeting.

____

____

“I wanted to pick up some flowers. It’s been a few days since I visited them.”

____

____

“Alright, what would you like? Maybe something colorful for a bright day like today. We just got some beautiful tulips that might liven things up a bit!”

____

____

Sasuke looked around as Ino rambled, pointing out the different kinds and colors or flowers. The selection was brighter than usual, he had to admit, but more options meant a harder choice.

____

____

“How about some of those lilies?” he said, cutting off her stream of chatter. He gestured to the mix of white and yellow flowers.

____

____

“A lovely choice! Three bouquets as usual?”

____

____

“Yes, thank you.” Sasuke counted out the ryo and placed them on the table as Ino gathered the flowers.

____

____

“Thank you for your business!” She said cheerfully, bowing as he left. Sasuke nodded and reached for the door, but it swung open before he could touch it. Sai stood in the doorway, looking somewhat surprised. He paused for a moment before bouncing back in his usual polite manner.

____

____

“Oh, Sasuke. You’re still in town?” He asked with a smile.

____

____

“Yeah. Kakashi-sensei hasn’t assigned me a new mission yet.” Sai looked thoughtful for a second.

____

____

“Hm… I thought I heard him say something about a new mission for you earlier… I didn’t hear what, but from the sound of it, it will be very challenging.”

____

____

“Really? I wonder what it could be…”

____

____

“Sai baby!” Ino cheered, pushing past him and tackling Sai in a hug. The man laughed and swung her in a circle before setting her down again. “You’re home early,” she said happily.

____

____

“Yes, the mission went even smoother than we’d hoped,” he explained.

____

____

Sasuke backed off quickly, deciding to give the couple some space. He was very curious about this new mission, but Sai was too pre-occupied to really be of any help. He briefly wondered if Hinata was back too, but he had no idea if Sai and Hinata ever worked together in ANBU.

____

____

He let his feet carry him, taking the usual path toward the separate graves. He usually went on a mission between visits so he’d have something to talk about while cleaning the site, but he didn’t feel much like talking anyway. A cloud passed overhead, chilling him slightly, and he tightened his hold on the armload of flowers.

____

____

He paused suddenly and looked over at the hospital. Perhaps he should visit there as well. Sasuke could almost see a familiar outline in one of the windows. He turned and stared hard at the window, trying to see inside. She’d certainly be willing to talk for him.

____

____

Then, the window swung open and he started off quickly. He’d be scolded if he was caught staring through the windows of the hospital. Besides, he had other things on his mind. Maybe he’d visit some other time.

____

____

When he finally reached the graves it was around mid morning. He had been pretty distracted, stopping to ponder the trees, the people, and even the river that ran through the village.

____

____

“Sorry I’m late,” he apologized, setting the flowers aside carefully. He sat in front of the two graves, pulling out the ring again. “I know I don’t usually visit twice in the same week, but I haven’t received a mission since I returned. I’ll probably be leaving for a new one soon though.”

____

____

The graves didn’t answer.

____

____

Sasuke stood up, shoving the ring back into his pocket. He began working, brushing leaves off the marked stones and clearing away the dead flowers.

____

____

“Sai said he thinks the mission will be tough, but don’t worry, Nii-san, I’ll be careful. And I’ll certainly observe the ninja codes better than you ever did, Jiraiya-sama.” Sasuke paused, trying to decide how to arrange the flowers. “You liked lilies, didn’t you Itachi? Perhaps it was just the ones Mom grew by the house…”

____

____

It didn’t really matter, he supposed. Itachi would probably just be happy he visited, and Master Jiraiya could always find something to complain about. So long as he had something to say to them, any kind of flowers would be fine.

____

____

Sasuke stood up to admire his handiwork and brushed his hands together, shaking off any dirt and leaves still sticking to them.

____

____

“Well, I should probably get going. I haven’t visited Naruto yet and I want to see him before I receive my next assignment. Wish me luck.”

____

____

He bowed slightly before picking up the last bouquet of flowers.

____

____

Sasuke didn’t waste time as he made his way back through the village, a sense of expectation setting in. He had been in the village for too long without anything to do. Certainly Kakashi-sensei wouldn’t make him wait for much longer. He had been lucky enough to avoid interaction with most of his admirers and critics, though Shino had insisted on dragging him out to the bar a few nights prior.

____

____

The jonin was strangely excited about his new job as an academy student and had talked for nearly two straight minutes about it. Sasuke was happy for him, but would never be able to understand his desire to work with children.

____

____

The way to the graveyard was ironically well marked, despite how empty it seemed to be most days. There were always the landscapers put in charge of maintaining the site and a few stray families coming to bring their loved ones flowers, but it never seemed to invite more than that.

____

____

Sasuke almost enjoyed the peace and solitude, particularly on days without missions.

____

____

It was easy to get lost amid the polished rock, like a sea of grey across his vision. He could walk on for hours and hours without having anywhere to be or anything to do. Then he was there, standing before an all too familiar stone marked with an all too familiar name.

____

____

“Hey, Naruto. It’s me again.” Sasuke sighed, kneeling down in front of the grave stone. The flowers he had left a few days ago were still decaying in the vases. Hinata must have still been out on a mission.

____

____

“I brought lilies today,” he continued, shrugging off the thought. “I would have gotten the orange ones, but the yellow ones looked better. Maybe I’ll bring sunflowers next time.”

____

____

Sasuke replaced the dead flowers with the bright new lilies, arranging them carefully in their new displays. Finally satisfied, he sat back on his heels. He carefully brushed off the stone marker, tracing the edges of the cool stone.

____

____

The entire world felt peaceful for a moment as Sasuke sat alone in the quietest place on the entire planet. Nothing felt like it really mattered on days like that, and Sasuke could just exist without having to worry about how he felt.

____

____

It was perfect.

____

____

He tensed as footsteps approached and glanced over his shoulder to look at the chunin standing behind him. He didn’t recognise him and the guy looked somewhat nervous as if unused to speaking with his superiors. Or maybe he was just scared of Sasuke.

____

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“Sasuke Uchiha. Lord Sixth has a new mission for you.”

____

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Sasuke nodded and stood up.

____

____

“Wish me luck,” he murmured to his old friend, allowing himself a wry smile.

____

____

***

____

____

Given the choice between the graveyard and the mission office, Sasuke would always take the graveyard, but at least the mission house meant more work. Unfortunately it had many more people he had to interact with.

____

____

“Good morning Sasuke-san!” He tried to keep a polite smile as he greeted yet another chunin on his way through the building.

____

____

With a few quick strides he escaped up the stairs to the next level. There didn’t seem to be as many people bustling about, but it was probably a rather slow day with so many people gone on missions. Kakashi-sensei had refused to give him information on the newest disaster, but he could tell something was up.

____

____

“Oh, Sasuke-senpai!” He turned to see Takeshi, struggling to carry a large stack of books and papers. “Lovely day, isn’t it?” The man said cheerfully.

____

____

“Hello, Kohai,” Sasuke greeted him but then frowned at the pile as it started to sway. “Do you need some help with those?” The younger man shook his oil-black hair, nearly scattering the loose papers.

____

____

“No, no, it’s fine. Shikaku-dono simply refuses to use the new computers, so I have to carry up the new mission requests for him to sort,” Takeshi explained, continuing forward. “You here to see Kakashi-sama about your new mission?”

____

____

“You know about it?”

____

____

“Yeah, of course! Though, I really can't tell you anything.” Sasuke sighed in defeat. No one was being any help. He briefly wondered if it was some sort of prank the higher ups were pulling on him.

____

____

“You know, I do still out rank you. Especially since you’ve been demoted to paper monkey,” Sasuke replied. “But I’ll just ask nicely, since we’re friends.”

____

____

“Heh. Sorry, Senpai. I’ve seen all of Kakashi-sama’s manipulation tricks, and I gotta say, you’re not even close to being on his level. Besides, I would have been killed by now if I couldn’t keep a secret when ordered.”

____

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“Funnily enough, the only people who have even mentioned this mission to me have been former root agents,” Sasuke muttered. Takeshi laughed.

____

____

“I guess we have good memories! Or maybe ANBU are just The Sixth’s favorite kind of people. Maybe he’ll promote you one of these days.” Takeshi elbowed him playfully, but then almost dropped the stack of books.

____

____

Sasuke rolled his eyes, ignoring the jab. Somehow the younger man could always get him talking, despite Sasuke’s preference for silence. Someday, Takeshi was going to ruin his image.

____

____

“Kakashi-sama is currently talking with Shikamaru-senpai, so please wait here,” Takeshi instructed, returning to a more professional manner. Sasuke nodded his thanks and leaned against the wall. The paper monkey nodded a farewell before continuing on to the mission room.

____

____

Sasuke crossed his arms and closed his eyes, mentally preparing himself. He would have preferred to avoid Shikamaru, but he didn’t have much of a choice. If he ignored his peer, the man would probably ignore him. Sasuke briefly wondered if he and Shikamaru were receiving the same assignment before shaking away the notion. Kakashi-sensei would never put them together and risk the safety of two of his best jonin.

____

____

“Are you freaking crazy?!” Sasuke flinched in surprise at the outburst. The room went quiet once more, preventing Sasuke from hearing the rest of the conversation. He wondered what they were talking about, but he knew of only a few topics that could make Shikamaru yell. “I know you believe he’s changed, but you still can’t possibly-”

____

____

“Shikamaru, that’s enough!”

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Sasuke resisted the urge to eavesdrop. Whatever it was they were discussing, it definitely had to do with him. Certainly Sensei wouldn’t put them on the same assignment… Would he?

____

____

Suddenly the door flew open and Shikamaru stomped out, glaring long and hard at Sasuke as he left. Sasuke watched him go, trying to keep his face neutral.

____

____

“You can come in now,” Kakashi-sensei called, drawing Sasuke’s attention away from the other jonin. The man looked tired and his visible eye was sharp with annoyance, but he seemed to push the feelings away as he focused on Sasuke.

____

____

“Kakashi-sensei,” he said with a stiff bow. “You have a new mission for me?”

____

____

“Yes, I do,” Kakashi-sensei sighed and crossed his arms. “After much thought I have decided...”

____

____

Sasuke squeezed his hand around Itachi’s ring, trying to remain still.

____

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“From this day forward, you will be the jonin-sensei of team 7.”

____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, this was fun... This fic was actually created way back in early 2018 as a short "coming to terms with the fact I killed my best friend and must face the repercussions 20 years later" fic about Sasuke with equal parts Hatake "well I've completely failed as a teacher so I'm going to make sure we don't create an entire future generation of ninjas like us" Kakashi. It was originally called Cry Me a River.
> 
> As for the honorifics, I thought they would be an easy and fast way of relaying information on character relations and changes in personality from the original. They also give some insight on how Sasuke may view characters differently from how he actually talks with them. Most of the time I will use the proper honorifics in both dialogue and narrative unless there is an easier english counterpart such as Lord or Lady. The only exception is my use of Lord Sixth whether in dialogue or narrative. I don't want to write Rokudaime-sama over and over and you don't want to _read _Rokudaime-sama over and over. My editor says I should apologize for the use of senpai and kohai, but prepare yourself, because that is a running gag with Takeshi.__
> 
> __There are a few pairs of eyes that go over each chapter before publication, between myself, my other half Big Cat, and our editor as well as a few others if I'm feeling insecure, but things will undoubtedly still slip through the cracks, so please alert me to any grammatical mistakes. I am also not an expert on Japanese culture or honorifics in any way, so I'll probably mess those up at some point as well._ _
> 
> __Either way, I hope you liked reading this story as there is more to come in both sequels and spin-offs._ _


	2. Chapter 2

“He’s crazy! He’s freaking crazy!” Sasuke ranted, pacing back and forth in front of the memorial stones. “Making me a sensei? Has he completely lost his mind?!”

He began clenching and unclenching his hand, trying to fight the numbness starting in his fingers. Dang it. What was he going to do? There was no way he could take on a genin team. If they passed he’d have to stay primarily in the village and act as a teacher. He was also certain Shikamaru wasn’t the only one who would have complaints about this assignment. What was he going to do?

A tap on his shoulder made him turn quickly, taking a step back. A woman stood behind him, holding her hand up in greeting. Sasuke sighed, allowing himself to relax a little.

“Hinata? What are you doing here?” She took on an exasperated look and gestured at him.

_‘Looking for you.’_

He shoved his hands into his pockets sulkily.

“Did Sensei send you?” Hinata shook her head no.

 _‘You’re being really loud. I wanted to make sure you’re not dying,’_ she signed with a teasing expression.

Sasuke sighed, looking away.

“Sensei is assigning me a genin team. He’s making me a jonin sensei.”

Hinata’s eyes widened and she cocked her head to one side.

“Yeah, I know. I’m just as surprised as you. Shikamaru hates the idea, of course, and I don’t blame him.”

_‘You two finally found something you can agree on!’_

“Quiet you.”

_‘Did I say anything?’_

Sasuke sighed in frustration. He honestly should have known better. She’d developed quite the sense of humor since joining ANBU, and never passed up the opportunity to point out her self-imposed muteness.

“Whatever. I still think it’s a bad idea.” Sasuke quickly changed the topic. “Have you visited Naruto yet today?”

 _‘Yes. The lilies are beautiful.’_ She turned, smiling up at the sky. Sasuke didn’t say anything as he watched. Hinata always looked so happy and peaceful when she looked at the sky, her hands clasped behind her. The only way he could tell who she was thinking of was by her expression. Her name truly fit her. Sasuke looked away sadly. Of course, it was entirely his fault she was even like this.

A hand waved in front of his face and he looked up again.

“Sorry… I was lost in thought,” he apologized, twisting the ring on his finger.

_‘Have you talked with Sakura?’_

He paused, wishing she would have picked a different topic.

“No, not for a while now.”

 _‘You should go see her.’_ Hinata insisted. _‘Perhaps she can give you some advice since she has experience in training others.’_

“That’s doubtful… There’s a bit of a difference between training genin fresh out of the academy and training someone trying to become a doctor. Besides, the sensei have already said I can ask them about anything I have trouble with.”

_‘Whatever.’ _Hinata shrugged with an exasperated look._ ‘So what do you plan to do?’ ___

__“I don’t have a plan.” Sasuke sighed. “I don't even know who the students are this year.”_ _

___‘I doubt you know who the students are any year.’_ _ _

__“That’s fair. Maybe I’ll just-” He cut himself off as Hinata turned, staring off toward the village. He could just make out a figure running full speed toward them._ _

__“Sasuke!” Shino managed to shout despite his break neck pace._ _

__Sasuke took a step back in surprise. The man ran up to him and stopped, bending over to catch his breath._ _

__“Shino? Did something happen?”_ _

__“This is an intervention! Come with me!” The jonin ordered, grabbing Sasuke’s arm and dragging him away.  
***  
“Alright, this is how it’s going to go,” Shino began, crossing his arms. Sasuke gave the man the most annoyed look he could muster. The man had dragged him to the bar in the middle of the day for some sort of intervention, which meant this wasn’t going to go well._ _

__“So, what’s going on?”_ _

“You’re going to get drunk and talk about your feelings!” Sasuke blinked. 

__“What?”_ _

_‘Shino, I think you’re losing it. Did something happen today?’_ Hinata signed carefully from Sasuke’s left. 

__“Look Sasuke, you just got appointed as a jonin sensei and everyone can tell you're really stressed over it, so the best way to get all of that stress out is by talking about it and we all know that’s not going to happen without alcohol.”_ _

__“Right now… In the middle of the day…”_ _

__“It’s not like you had anything else to do.”_ _

__“Don’t you have a job?”_ _

__“This isn’t about me!”_ _

__Hinata held up a hand to stop the argument._ _

_‘Could you provide any information on what students he may end up teaching? I know you just started but you should at least know the class rosters.’_

__“Well actually, I didn’t get to work with them as part of my own assessment, so I only know a few of the students in that class. I’ll tell you what I know… But why don’t we get some drinks first!” Sasuke sighed, knowing there was no way he could deter his companion and gave in._ _

__“Alright, alright, fine.”_ _

__“Great!” Shino sat back smugly. Sasuke and Hinata exchanged worried looks._ _

__“You sure you’re alright?”_ _

__“Hm? Why do you ask?”_ _

_‘Because you’re not really yourself today.’_

__“What do you mean?”_ _

__Sasuke and Hinata both raised an eyebrow at him._ _

__“Okay, I may be feeling a little excited about starting my own class in two weeks, but I’m fine,” he insisted, twirling his fingers absentmindedly._ _

_‘Excited? Or nervous?’_

__“Hm?”_ _

__Hinata waved him with an exasperated look._ _

__“Why don’t you tell me about the graduating class?” Sasuke cut in. Maybe that would get Shino’s mind off his impending doom by academy students._ _

__“Alright, so Fubata’s class… Well, of course there’s Mirai, Asuma and Kurenai’s daughter. There’s Yanagi Senju, Isen Koyakawa, oh, and Shun Yamanaka is quite promising.” Shino paused. “There's also Katsuo Uzumaki.”_ _

__Sasuke nodded, ignoring the concerned glance Hinata gave him._ _

__“So have any ideas who might be put on Team 7 with me?”_ _

__“Honestly, I don’t know any of them well enough to tell… I really doubt you’ll get Mirai since Shikamaru’s part of your competition… I honestly can’t really think of anyone who stands out as a good choice for your team. You’ll probably end up with a team that focuses on combat rather than recon or tracking. Probably won’t give you any special formation teams either. But honestly, you’re so much of an all arounder that you could probably teach anything.”_ _

_‘You don’t think they’d give him a scout team? He was a long term undercover operator for a while.’_

__“Unfortunately, he’s got too much of a reputation now.”_ _

__Sasuke looked away sulkily and took another drink._ _

__“And that’s why I’m a jonin sensei now,” he grumbled._ _

__“No, you’re a jonin sensei because you need something different to do. I’m sure it’ll be good for you to see the next generation and see that not everything in the world is bad.”_ _

__“I can already see that.”_ _

__“Oh really?” Shino leaned forward. “Then why don’t you tell us how you really feel?”_ _

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Honestly, talking about his feelings was probably the last thing he needed.  
***  
“And another thing! Why is it that I had to wait nearly a full week before he even told me, huh? I deserve to know! Heck, if I had known, I probably wouldn’t be in this mess! I mean, he’s made a total mistake appointing me as a sensei! You think I have any clue what to do with kids? I have noooooo idea! Why would he even think this was a good idea?”

__“If you’re that worried about dealing with children, you could always talk to one of the Sensei’s. Or maybe even Choji. He’s had his team for a full year now, so he’d certainly know a thing or two if you’re worried about the sensei’s being busy.”_ _

__“Pshf-” Sasuke laughed. “You’re kidding right? He probably agrees with Shikamaru and thinks I shouldn’t even have a team.”_ _

__He squinted at Hinata as she tried signing something to him. At least one of them was drunk because almost none of the words made sense._ _

_‘Choji- nice- happy- help- anyone-’_

__“She’s right. Choji isn’t one to turn away someone who really needs help. Particularly if they’re trying to do the right thing.”_ _

__Sasuke grumpily traced patterns along the table’s surface._ _

__“Maybe you’re right. But I still don’t wanna risk it.”_ _

__“And what exactly would you be risking?”_ _

__He didn’t answer in favor of downing the rest of his drink. Hinata giggled and signed something to Shino that Sasuke didn’t understand. Shino shook his head in exasperation but Sasuke caught the small smile he gave their companion._ _

__“What? What did she say?”_ _

__“She said that you look like a kid again when you pout like that.”_ _

__“I’m not pouting!”_ _

__Hinata crossed her arms, clearly challenging him. She looked entirely too amused by the whole situation and Shino was barely holding back his laughter._ _

__“I’m not! I’m just annoyed that I got some… dumb... teaching possition.” He insisted, quieting down toward the end of his sentence. He sighed, laying his head against the table. “I don’t wanna do it.”_ _

__“Well, unfortunately I don’t think Hokage-sama is going to give you a choice on this one,” Shino answered sarcastically. Sasuke glared up at him, but the man looked around innocently, ignoring him._ _

__Sasuke sighed and leaned back. Shino was right. No matter what protests were made, Kakashi-sensei wasn’t going to move on this issue at all. He resisted the grumble rising in his throat._ _

__He paused as another person entered and tried not to grumble even more as Kiba caught sight of them._ _

__“Oh hey, Shino! Wasn't expecting to find you here,” the man said with a grin. “And Hinata’s here too! Hey, how guys didn’t plan an old Team Kurenai reunion without me, did ya?” Kiba glared at Sasuke. “Seems a little crowded though, don’t ya’ think?”_ _

__“Actually, we’ve been discussing work,” Shino said quickly, finally able to get a word in. Sasuke didn’t bother defending himself as he glared the Inuzuka down._ _

__“Really? That’s right, don’t you try to stay out of the village as much as possible, Sasuke? Never really liked this place, right? I mean, that’s what I figured from all the times you ran off somewhere else.”_ _

__“Kiba,” Shino warned. The man shrugged innocently._ _

__“Just asking. It’s always good to keep up with old academy buddies,” he said sarcastically._ _

__Sasuke felt his left hand twitch, but was more than used to the man’s taunting by this point, so he just ignored it. He wasn’t going to engage._ _

__“Oh, that reminds me. I hear you’re a jonin-sensei now. Good for you. Nothing like earning back trust by putting a deserter in charge of the village’s future ninja.”_ _

__The man clearly wanted a reaction._ _

__“Of course… With you as a teacher we’d better be careful or they’ll all turn traitor.”_ _

__Sasuke forced himself upright, facing his peer angrily._ _

__“I guess they’d rather have ninja trained by a skilled deserter than an incompetent dog,” he spat with a fake smile._ _

__“Ohhhhh, you wanna go, Sasuke?”_ _

__“Sorry, I don’t have anymore time to waste on you.”_ _

__Kiba finally lost his cool._ _

__“Why you-”_ _

__“That’s enough, both of you.” Sasuke cringed as a sharp voice cut through the air._ _

__“Neji.” Shino sighed in relief. “Perfect timing.”_ _

__The man stood with his arms crossed, a severe expression accentuating his disappointed demeanor. Sasuke sat back down, guiltily shrinking into the seat._ _

__“Honestly, can’t the two of you go for five minutes without starting a brawl? And you’re drinking in the middle of the day no less.”_ _

__Shino rose quickly to defend his subordinates._ _

__“We were actually discussing business. I was trying to help Sasuke figure out how to best prepare for his new assignment as a Jonin sensei.”_ _

__Neji narrowed his eyes, looking Sasuke up and down as though they hadn’t known each other for years._ _

__“So it’s true then. I suppose Hokage-sama knows you better than anyone else.” The man looked away thoughtfully. “Well in any matter, Hokage-sama requested to speak with the two of us, Kiba.”_ _

__“What does he want now?”_ _

__“I do not know. But it is our duty to follow as instructed.”_ _

__The Inuzuka gritted his teeth, but didn’t protest._ _

__Hinata stood up._ _

_’I’ll go as well. I’m sure Commander Tenzo has something for me.’_

__“Very well,” Neji conceded. He nodded a farewell to Sasuke and Shino. “Come along. We shouldn’t keep Hokage-sama waiting.”_ _

__Shino sighed in relief as they finally left and motioned to the waitress standing awkwardly nearby._ _

__“Sorry about all that. I think we’re done so I’ll pay the tab now.”_ _

__She nodded and disappeared to bring the bill. Sasuke stood to leave but Shino raised a hand to stop him._ _

__“Don’t leave quite yet. I still had something I wanted to talk with you about,” the man insisted. Sasuke hesitated but nodded._ _

__“I’ll be outside then.” He nodded to the waitress as he left and she flashed him a quick smile before going about her business. The air outside was cool and refreshing, helping to keep Sasuke’s mind off of the problems at hand, but something itched at the back of his mind. He needed to do something, but there really wasn’t anything for him to do. Kakashi-sensei wouldn’t give him a new mission with graduation so close. He briefly wondered again what the big problem was that Kakashi-sensei seemed so determined to keep him out of._ _

__Perhaps it had to do with that civilian who’d freaked out and attacked the academy a month or so ago. Sasuke had been out of the village at the time, but it had caused enough of a stir that people were still talking about it when he’d gotten back._ _

__He turned to watch Shino, still inside. He’d been around during the attack and would probably know about it._ _

__Sasuke stopped as the waitress glanced at him and then away, almost nervously. Shino said something and she genuinely laughed. Shino also seemed to be enjoying himself, though he maintained an apologetic air. When had he become so comfortable around other people?_ _

__Sasuke turned away as the waitress glanced at him again, aware that he was prying on a conversation he wasn’t a part of. Granted, he couldn’t hear it, but it still felt like intruding nonetheless._ _

__“Have a good day!” Shino called, as the door swung open and he joined Sasuke on the street. He took a deep breath, appreciating the cool air that Sasuke had so easily forgotten only moments ago. “Isn’t it a lovely day?”_ _

__“You said that you wanted to talk with me about something?”_ _

__“Let’s take a walk,” Shino said happily, motioning for Sasuke to follow. He hesitated for a moment but followed as asked, accompanying the man down the street._ _

__“You know, you’ve really gotten good at talking with people.”_ _

__“I suppose… Though that’s not very remarkable when you can fake it better than anyone.”_ _

__“That’s a lie.”_ _

__“Okay, maybe an exaggeration,” Shino laughed. “But you’re still a hero to a lot of people in this village.”_ _

__Sasuke looked away, trying to dodge the topic._ _

__“So why haven’t you settled down yet, Shino? Everyone else has.”_ _

__“Believe it or not, most women don’t share in my appreciation of insects.”_ _

__“I don’t blame them.”_ _

__“Insects are integral to the survival of the ecosystem! They are amazing creatures who exemplify teamwork and resilience in the face of struggle!” Shino proclaimed._ _

__“Yeah, yeah, I know. You’ve said that all before. But that doesn’t change the fact that they’re creepy.”_ _

__Shino sighed sadly._ _

__“Unfortunately it seems that you’re right.”_ _

__They slowed down as they came to a bridge overlooking one of the rivers that ran through Konoha. Shino leaned against the railing,staring into the water. Sasuke fidgeted awkwardly, unable to really enjoy the peaceful scene._ _

__“So what is it that you wanted to ask me about?”_ _

__“You know, of all the people I thought I would be friends with when I grew up, you were probably the last person I would think of.”_ _

__“Wow, thanks,” Sasuke snarked, leaning on the rail next to his friend._ _

__“That wasn’t an insult. Just an observation.”_ _

__“Alright. So was there a point to that?”_ _

__“Yes. The person you are now is much different from the person you were then. And people can see that, myself included. It’s why I consider us friends.”_ _

__“And here I thought it was because I put up with your bugs,” Sasuke continued. Shino turned on him with a serious expression._ _

__“You, Sasuke Uchiha are a paradox. Your pride keeps you from asking for the help of those you don’t know, and your guilt keeps you from asking for the help of those you do.”_ _

__Sasuke stopped, surprised by the confrontation._ _

__“You know you can ask for help, right? You don’t have to do everything alone.”_ _

__He looked away, sure of how to respond. After a few moments of silence Shino sighed._ _

__“We can’t help you if you won’t tell us how.”_ _

__Sasuke pushed off of the rail, standing up straight again._ _

__“Thanks… I’ll be sure to let you know when I figure that out myself.” He waved as he left but knew Shino was upset by his reaction. He forced himself not to look back as he kept walking, letting his legs carry him aimlessly back to the cemetery._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the plot... Kinda just keeps going. This section is certainly more about relationships and stuff, but don't worry, the action is coming soon.
> 
> As you can see, Naruto dying had quite the ripple effect on the timeline, so everything's a bit different. Characters may seem a bit OOC in this one, but considering the early divergence and 15 year time skip, I felt they needed to be at least somewhat different.
> 
> Anyways, onward I push as Sasuke faces his impending doom by genin.


	3. Chapter 3

Sasuke paced around, unsure of what to do. He couldn’t be too early, but he certainly didn’t plan on being as late as Kakashi-sensei had been that first day. He’d already bought groceries, stopped by the graves, wandered around town for a bit. What else could he do to pass the time while he waited?

If he did anything too intense he’d lose track of time and he certainly couldn’t keep wandering around or else he’d run into someone he’d rather avoid. The last thing he needed was Kiba picking a fight with him or Shino trying to rationalize his uneasiness. Maybe he’d just fail the students and tell Kakashi-sensei to give him a long mission away from the village.

No, that wouldn’t be right. He’d give them the bell test fair and square. They could probably fail it on their own. It would be much harder this year since Sasuke’s own team had passed it before. He took a deep breath, trying not to think about his old team. He’d probably wasted enough time and could go meet the team.

Thankfully the walk to the academy was long enough to clear his head. The day was rather warm for spring, but perhaps it was just time to start wearing summer gear. Sasuke was certain the weather would fluctuate over the next few months, but he always preferred being a little chilly over being too warm.

Focusing was particularly difficult that morning. Sasuke spun Itachi’s ring between his fingers, trying to rationalize his attitude. He didn’t yet have a plan for the encounter with his new team. He’d also probably be seeing some people he’d rather not see on a day he was already growing to dislike.

He stopped as he reached the building, taking a deep breath as memories flooded back. He’d see places he didn’t want to as well. Nevertheless, he pushed forward.

The academy was never his favorite place, even as a kid. He’d been much too focused on his own progress to appreciate the slow pace they often had to take as students. Itachi had graduated within a single year and Sasuke had hoped to do the same, but the rules seemed to have changed before he enrolled.

Everything looked so different now, but that didn’t stop him from reminiscing. The thoughts were dangerous, but unavoidable as he plodded on. This was the place he’d met Naruto, the place they’d fought and developed a sort of rivalry. Naruto had always been behind in practice but always kept pace in spirit. It had been annoying at the time, but-

Sasuke cut off the thoughts, rubbing his face with his left hand. He didn’t have time to be sentimental. He just had to get the children and get out. He just had to stay focused on his current mission.

As Sasuke neared the room, he steeled himself as he would before any challenge. He could do this. He took a deep breath and approached the door.

Then he paused as the door opened and Shikamaru exited, followed by three children. The man froze as he saw Sasuke, his expression quickly changing from alarm to disgust. Sasuke didn’t say anything as the new sensei walked passed. They both kept their eyes forward, trying to ignore the other’s presence, but he could feel Shikamaru’s annoyance almost radiate off of him. Sasuke waited until the jonin was far behind him before entering the classroom.

Several groups of children still lingered around waiting for their new sensei and they all looked up expectantly as he entered. Sasuke’s skin crawled under his uniform and he ignored them, walking steadily to the teacher at the front of the class.

“Ah, you're here! Team 7, come meet your new sensei!” The woman called. Three heads turned suddenly to look at him and they approached obediently, breaking off from their groups. The three stared up at him with wide eyes. “Alright, you three. Be good for your new sensei, and do your very best.”

“Yes, Futaba-sensei.”

Sasuke studied the children as he tried to figure out what to do next. It would probably be best if he took them to a secluded area before giving them their assignment.

“Come with me,” he ordered stiffly. He didn’t wait for them as he spun and exited, trying to professionally mask how uncomfortable he felt.

The children followed obediently and quietly, probably gauging his temperament through observation. He supposed they were as lost on what to do as he was. The thought didn’t provide him with much comfort however, since they would be looking to him for answers.

He forced himself to take a deep breath and center his thoughts. Worry could wait.

The roof was thankfully empty when they arrived. He’d been concerned another jonin would take their own students there for the assessment, but his luck hadn’t completely run out yet.

“Take a seat,” Sasuke said as he positioned himself against the railing. The students did as they were told, still watching him expectantly. The red haired kid was barely keeping his happy grin hidden as he plopped down beside his new teammates. The other two were more guarded, but the girl was clearly more confident than the second boy.

They stared at him for a few tense seconds and he stared back. They probably expected him to speak first since he was their superior.

Sasuke was completely lost on what to do. Memories from his own first day flooded back and he sighed. Introductions would be better than nothing, especially since he knew almost nothing about the children.

“Why don’t you begin by introducing yourselves.”

“Huh?”

“It is polite to introduce yourself to your superiors.”

“Of course!” The girl exclaimed, standing up. “My name is Yanagi Senju. I am one of the only-”

“That’s enough. Simply your names will suffice.”

Yanagi looked perplexed, but sat down without protest. He turned to the next kid, the brown haired boy.

“Uh? Oh, I’m Fuyuki Attakai,” he said quickly, bobbing his head respectfully. Sasuke didn’t respond, instead looking at the last boy. The redhead stood up with a smirk and pointed at him rudely.

“Alright, listen close Sensei, for the name you’re about to hear will be known and regarded highly throughout the world someday! My name is Katsuo Uzumaki!”

Sasuke studied the boy for a second before moving on.

“Now then, let’s get started.”

“Huh? You aren’t even going to acknowledge that? But I spent all day practicing that line!”

“No one wants to listen to your bragging, Katsuo-san. Especially since you’re only a genin,” Fuyuki scolded him quietly.

“Sensei, shouldn’t you introduce yourself as well?” Yanagi completely ignored both of the boys.

“My name is Sasuke Uchiha. Now, we have more important things to cover before I can see if you’re truly cut out to be ninja.”

“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?”

Sasuke studied the children in front of him.

“Tell me… why do you want to be Shinobi?” He said finally. The children gave him puzzled looks, seeming to be caught off guard. Yanagi stood up eagerly.

“Well that’s easy. I want to be able to serve my village, just as my Papa has.”

Because that was totally the only way to serve the village. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, not voicing his thoughts.

“Tch,” Katsuo spat quietly. “Still so high and mighty about your dad’s status, huh?”

“What was that? Say that again, I dare you!” Yanagi turned on the boy angrily. He waved it off, standing up to utilize his two extra centimeters of height. The girl didn’t seem intimidated though, as she continued glaring.

“Whatever. I’m going to become the greatest ninja in the world. I was entrusted with a great power and I intend to use it for the good of all. Then no one will have to worry about fighting, certainly not little girls like you,” he taunted, aiming his response more at Yanagi than Sasuke.

“Oh, come on guys, knock it off,” Fuyuki tried to stop them, motioning for them to calm down. At least he was trying, Sasuke supposed, but the boy was far too timid to do any real good. Things were quickly getting out of hand. They would never pass the bell test at this rate.

“Alright, that’s enough, you two,” he ground out. The kids immediately stopped as they caught his cold stare. “We don’t have time to waste on your senseless arguing. Fuyuki-”

“Yes, Sir!” The boy squeaked.

“You haven’t answered the question yet.”

“O-oh, well… I don’t have any special purpose or mission or anything like that, but… But I do want to show the world that you don't need to come from some big clan to be a great ninja.” He looked up with a brave smile. “I want to prove that you don’t have to come from a big clan to be strong.”

The other two students studied him with surprise.

“Fuyuki-kun…”

“Interesting…” Sasuke cut in, resting his chin on one hand. “So you want to become strong because of your family, you want to become strong because of your power, and you want to become strong because you have neither.”

He couldn’t help laughing.

“What? What’s so funny?!” Katsuo demanded.

“A know-it-all, a try-hard, and a loud mouth. You’re all so foolish. At this rate, you won’t even become genin.”

“But I thought we’re already genin!” Fuyuki said anxiously.

“Nope. Of the 27 who graduated, only nine will become genin. The rest go into the reserves, which is probably where the three of you will end up. Only three teams pass. That’s just how it is.” He stared coldly at the children. They had no chance of passing if they didn’t work together.

A breeze swept through the terrace as the students sat in silence, processing what he had just told them.

“Well if that’s how it is, I guess I’ll just have to pass whatever test you throw at us,” Katsuo said, clenching his fists in determination. Sasuke closed his eyes and nodded.

“Meet me tomorrow morning at the third training ground at dawn.” He turned around and waved. “Feel free to stay home if you don’t feel up to it. It will make the decision of who passes and who fails easier on me.” He gave the children one more glanced before disappearing into the city below.

****

Sasuke arrived before dawn, carefully concealing himself in a tree close to the designated meet up. With the wind direction, the students wouldn’t be able to hear or smell him, so he would be able to watch and listen without much worry.

He’d spent the previous night working out a test with Shino. It was basically the same bell test Kakashi-sensei had given him, but he needed a plan himself. Sasuke wasn’t a huge fan of waiting, but it was important that he set the time table up just right. So, for every minute the children were late, he would wait an hour before making himself known. If they found him before that, or none of them showed up late, then they deserved more time to complete the test. However, since dawn was hard to set a specific time for, he set the start time at 5:00 and could adjust it as necessary.

It was going to be an interesting day for him at the very least.

Fuyuki was the first to arrive, a solid 17 minutes early at that. He seemed nervous as he looked around.

“I guess I am a little early,” he sighed, sitting down in the grass. The boy rummaged through his tool pouch and emptied its contents into the grass to reorganize, giving Sasuke a good look at what the boy had on his person. It was mostly standard with kunai, shuriken, explosive tags, some rope, and a few other things. What interested Sasuke more was the katana strung across the boy’s back. He’d never be able to draw the long weapon from there, but Sasuke wasn’t going to correct him yet. The try-hard showed up about as expected.

Yanagi arrived a few minutes later, looking around curiously.

“Where’s sensei?”

“I don’t know. He hasn’t shown up yet, but I figure he’ll be here soon.”

“Well, if my dad taught me anything, it’s that you never know when a ninja might be listening.”

Fuyuki sighed, but didn’t comment. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. The know-it-all had certainly made her position clear.

Katsuo was the last to arrive, a full 20 minutes late. He jogged up, looking excited and not at all worried about the time.

“You’re late, Katsuo,” Yanagi scolded him.

“Oh, lay off. Sensei’s not here yet, so it doesn’t even matter,” he shot back defensively. And there was the loudmouth.

Sasuke checked the clock he’d brought along. He could take the 17 minutes Fuyuki arrived early and the 20 minutes Katsuo arrived late and round it out to four or so hours. He leaned back in the tree, watching the children as they continued to argue. It was going to be a long morning if they kept at it, but he supposed it just gave them more time to work out their differences and maybe plan a strategy. He’d even be there to hear the whole thing.

The jonin silently thanked Master Jiraiya and Kakashi-Sensei for teaching him patience, if only due to their own bad habits. Thankfully the children calmed down rather quickly and went back to their own business.

Yanagi stood at perfect attention, looking around diligently, but as time passed she seemed to realize how much energy she was wasting and sat down to meditate. Fuyuki dumped out and reorganized his pack at least three times and constantly fidgeted with anything available. He even took the katana off his back a few times and carefully polished the tsuba, but never went so far as to draw the blade. Then there way Katsuo, who paced like a caged animal, slowly working a visible path into the grass. From time to time he would sit down and rock back and forth a bit or even roll in the grass out of either boredom or being tired, but he was always back up again to continue pacing.

Sasuke was almost disappointed they didn’t do anything more engaging. They didn’t talk to each other aside from a few brief spats between Yanagi and Katsuo, but they had no substance and were usually brought about by mutual annoyance at Sasuke’s tardiness.

Finally, four hours had passed and it was time.

Sasuke dropped down to the forest floor, shoving his hands into his pockets as he walked. The kids all jumped to their feet as he came to the tree line.

“You’re late!” Katsuo yelled, pointing at him accusingly. Sasuke held the boy’s gaze.

“I had some business to attend to,” he answered indifferently. “Besides, late is late, whether it’s 20 minutes or four hours.”

The boy’s face turned nearly as red as his hair and Yanagi began laughing at him.

“Oh, he got you! Can’t lecture Sensei when you’re late yourself.”

“What-whatever,” Katsuo sputtered, crossing his arms and looking away. “So what’s this test we have to pass?”

Sasuke nodded, setting out the alarm clock on the middle of the three posts. It was a little after nine, so they’d have more time than he did during his first bell test. He turned and faced the children, pulling out the bells Kakashi-sensei had given him for this mission. 

“Your objective is simple. You are to take these bells from me before noon. Anyone who doesn’t get a bell doesn’t get lunch and will immediately fail. Those who fail the test be sent to the reserves.”

“What? But there are only two!”

“Therefore, at least one of you will fail.” Sasuke watched them coldly. “Aim to kill, or you’ll never even stand a chance against me.”

“You sure, Sensei?” Katsuo asked with a cocky smile. “We wouldn’t want you to regret it.” Sasuke couldn’t help but smile.

“I’m sure I’ll be just fine.”

“Will do, Sensei. Just tell us when to go.” Sasuke was slightly impressed that the boy had enough self restraint to wait for the signal, but their chances still didn’t seem too high. Perhaps the three would surprise him.

“Alright then…” He paused, looking between the three determined children in front of him. “Go!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My editor scolded me for starting this chapter with the main character's name. It's an old habit I've had and she's tried to break but sometimes it's just easier when you have no idea how to start a chapter. Otherwise I end up just talking about the weather for two paragraphs before anything happens...
> 
> There's not much to say about this one, other than the fact that I've introduced those original characters I mentioned in the character tags. But I'm very excited for the next chapter. It's definitely my favorite so far and has a good amount of world building for those of you wondering how the death of the main character affected the world of Naruto. There will also be a few more side plots and background things going on from this point forward.
> 
> That's where the expanded part of this AU comes in! Eventually... When I finally take the time to write it...
> 
> Either way, progress from this point may be a bit slower, but I am working very hard on both this piece and two side pieces I hope to post rather soon. Expect more of our favorite Troll-kage very soon.


	4. Chapter 4

Kakashi leaned forward on his hands.

“So let me get this straight… They fought you two at a time, while the third ate part of the lunches, and you didn’t notice what was happening, until the loudmouth disappeared? That’s quite impressive for some academy cadets to pull on a _jonin_ ,” the man sighed in exasperation.

Sasuke glared at him, but didn’t say anything to defend his apparent blunder. Kakashi allowed himself a small sarcastic smile.

“Maybe I should just demote you instead of promoting them.”

“Sensei, that’s not funny. Besides, the lunches weren’t the point of the exam.”

“Well, then I suppose they passed. They did use some pretty solid teamwork, after all.” Kakashi eye-smiled as his student glared at him again. He was enjoying this a little more than he probably should have been, but after what Lord Third had pulled on him, he felt no remorse for his own protege.

“Sensei,” Sasuke started seriously, dropping the glare. “I’m still not so sure about this.”

“They passed the test you decided on. If you really didn’t want them to pass, you should have actually made them get the bells,” Kakashi returned cheerfully. The jonin didn’t answer, still looking unsure, and Kakashi sighed. “You’ll do fine. I wouldn’t have given you this team if I didn’t think you could do it. Just teach them what Jiraiya-sama and I taught you and they’ll turn out alright.”

Sasuke took a deep breath and bowed.

“Thank you, Kakashi-sensei. I’ll be sure to hand in my formal report when I finish it.”

Kakashi waved off the mention of paperwork.

“Take your time. The report isn’t important so long as I know which teams have passed.”

Sasuke bowed again before taking his leave. Kakashi jotted down the names of the new official Team 7 and submitted it to the database for his secretary to update the student’s information. That done, he stood up and stretched, turning around to look out over his village’s skyline. Perhaps it was a little soon for Sasuke to take on a genin team. After all, he had failed his first two teams before finally passing one. Then again, he probably shouldn’t have passed that one either.

Kakashi took a deep breath and closed his eye. No, it wouldn’t do any good to think that way. The past was past, and there was nothing he could do to change it. Besides, this new Team 7 had already shown promising teamwork, and Sasuke was more than capable of taking care of them. He just had to trust his student.

He looked up as a knock sounded on his door.

“Come in,” Kakashi called, sitting down at his computer to read the notification from Yukimi.

_Iruka Umino is on his way up to see you._

Great.

“Kakashi-sama, I must protest,” Iruka began immediately as he opened the door, barely a few steps inside before Kakashi had to stop him.

Kakashi held up his hand, sliding a pen and a pad of paper across the desk before placing the jar marked ‘Complaints About Sasuke Uchiha’ on the table. He then returned to his computer work. Iruka looked between the paper and the jar several times and then slammed his hands on the table, nearly knocking over the jar.

“Hokage-sama, please! I’m serious about this!” He shouted. Kakashi sighed deeply and looked up, giving the Headmaster his undivided attention.

“So this isn’t about Sasuke Uchiha?”

“No, it’s about Team 7!”

“So it is about Sasuke.”

“Listen to me, dang it!” He pounded the desk with his fists again. “You can’t possibly allow Sasuke to remain as Team 7’s jonin sensei!”

“Oh? And why’s that?” Kakashi demanded, standing up to meet the younger man’s challenge.

“Because he’s dangerous,” Iruka tried to appeal to Kakashi’s conscience and regrets. “Remember what happened last time? And you thought it would be a good idea to put the jinchuriki child on his team again?”

“That’s enough. The students passed his test and have formed the new Team 7. I’ve already spent a lot of time thinking it over and I believe he is ready.”

“How can you know that? He passed your test to become a genin, didn’t he? It’s clearly no way to judge character.” Kakashi had to pause and recover his composure.

“Iruka, when was the last time you even talked to Sasuke?”

The man stopped, shock spreading across his face before his eyes set with stony determination again. Kakashi met his gaze icily, waiting for an answer. When one didn’t come, he sighed.

“I believe you have no room to speak on Sasuke’s abilities until you actually get to know him,” Kakashi said. “Now if that is all, I have a village to run.”

Kakashi sat down at his computer and ignored Iruka, still standing in front of him.

“You’re putting these children in danger!” Iruka shouted again. Kakashi glared up at the man, completely done.

“We’re ninja, Iruka. It’s part of the job description.”

The Academy’s Headmaster sputtered, seeming unable to form a sentence. Finally the man whirled around and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Immediately the door was opened by a bewildered Tenzo who looked around the room as if it might be dangerous.

“Kakashi-sama, Konohamaru has returned with an urgent mission report.”

Kakashi’s head snapped up and he quickly dumped his aggravated thoughts into the trash bin beside his desk.

“Konohamaru? But his team was sent to track down those bandits and wasn’t supposed to return for another three days at least.”

Konohamaru pushed his way inside, followed by Tenzo.

“Sir, the area we believed the campsite to be in was abandoned. It looked like they left nearly a week before we arrived.”

“That’s impossible. They were reported to have attacked Tsukita Village only a few days before you left.”

“All I know is that the area was deserted. They seemed to have left in a hurry though, leaving behind charred logs and food scraps. We dug through what was there, but unfortunately found no leads,” Konohamaru summarized. Kakashi tapped his chin in irritation. It seemed nothing was going his way.

“This is the third time they’ve slipped away. We can’t risk any more attacks, but until they show themselves again, we can’t really find them. Even ninken are useless in finding their scent.” He looked up at Konohamaru. “Did you find any tracks? Or maybe anything that would point to their identities?”

“No, Lord Sixth. They’re still a complete mystery,” he said reluctantly. The boy looked away and rubbed his head. “I hate to ask, but do you think it could be an attack by Amegakure?”

Kakashi shook his head.

“No, it’s not Amegakure.” He knew Konohamaru wouldn’t accept his answer, but with Nagato in charge, Kakashi trusted Ame wouldn’t attack the Land of Fire. Thankfully the boy didn’t question it, simply bowing respectfully.

“Kakashi-sama,” Tenzo said, stepping forward. “Perhaps we should dispatch another ANBU team to scope out the area. We might find them further south like last time.”

“But the time before that they traveled north,” Kakashi reminded his old friend. “Dispatch two teams this time, and be sure to send someone who can survey the area from the air.”

“Yes, Sir.” The ANBU Commander bowed.

“One more thing, Lord Sixth,” Konohamaru interjected carefully. “I heard that genin teams have been assigned…” Kakashi sagged, knowing immediately where this discussion was going.

“Yes, they have been.”

“Sir, I also heard that Sasuke Uchiha has been assigned a genin team.”

“He has been.” A long pause tested his patience and he resisted tapping his fingers against the desk in frustration.

“Has… Did his team pass? Is he a jonin sensei now?”

“You listen very closely, Konohamaru,” Kakashi said, dangerously quiet. “I just had a rather lengthy conversation with Headmaster Iruka about Sasuke’s position and I will not have my authority questioned again. So plan your response carefully.” Kakashi took a deep breath, forcing himself to answer the question in a calm manner. “Yes. Sasuke is now the leader of Team 7.”

“But, Sir!”

Kakashi stood up quickly, casting the complaint jar from his desk to the floor where it shattered.

“Konohamaru Sarutobi, I am the Sixth Hokage and I will run this village as I see fit! Do you understand?”

The boy took a step back in terror beforing bowing deeply and muttering several apologies.

“Dismissed,” Kakashi huffed. “And get those ANBU teams moving ASAP.”

“Right away, Sir,” Tenzo answered, ushering Konohamaru out of the office in front of him.

The door closed behind them and Kakashi slumped into his chair. He took a moment to settle his breathing before opening the bottom drawer and pulling out the sake he kept hidden there. Then he glared up at the figure in the doorway.

“You going to tell me I can’t drink?” He demanded.

“Nah, I just figured you’d like a cup,” Asuma chuckled, holding up two glasses. Kakashi sighed in relief, giving his old friend a grateful smile. “Rough day, huh?”

“You have no idea.” Kakashi poured a glass for each of them before quickly downing his. Asuma didn’t try to stop him, simply watching in mild amusement. It was nice to have someone around who wasn’t going to question his actions.

“I heard you got a visit from Iruka Umino.” Kakashi grimaced, pouring himself more sake.

“I think the entire building heard,” he grumbled. Asuma laughed. “I don’t know what you think is so funny.”

“Nothing, nothing.” Asuma waved it off. “So, if you don’t mind me asking, what all happened?”

“What do you think?”

“Sasuke again?”

“Who else?”

“I take it he passed his genin team.” The jonin commander sighed. “And I doubt either Iruka or Konohamaru were happy about that... So the bandits got away again?” Asuma changed the subject before Kakashi could comment on the man’s nephew.

“Yes, they did.” That was another headache he’d have to deal with.

“Shikaku’s not going to like that. Heck, he’s been threatening to go out there himself with how incompetent these youngins are.” Kakashi snorted, imagining the old man trekking around the Land of Fire until he found the bandits and dragged them back to the village by their ears using only his shadow strangle technique.

“You know, you shouldn’t make fun of your elders,” he answered, not bothering to hide his amusement.

“Hey, those are his words, not mine.”

“Hokage-sama.” Takeshi opened the door cautiously, probably warned about his foul mood by Tenzo. “Commander said there was some glass on the floor?”

“Yeah, sorry,” Kakashi rubbed his hair, slightly embarrassed.

Takeshi didn’t complain as he began sweeping up the glass shard, not even remarking on Kakashi drinking so early in the morning. Normally the kid would at least comment, and on occasion went so far as to replace his stash with water. He studied his assistant, but he didn’t seem any different. Perhaps he was letting it go since Asuma was doing the same.

“Anyways,” Kakashi continued, “You can let Shikaku know that Tenzo already has two teams on it, so he doesn’t need to worry about the bandits.”

“It’s too bad we don’t have more sensory ninja with a range like this brat. We’d be able to patrol half of the country with just a few men,” Asuma joked, throwing an arm around Takeshi. “Maybe you should get on that.”

“Asuma-dono, please,” Takeshi huffed. “Besides, I think having another Hatake or two around would be more useful.”

Kakashi glared at his screen, trying to ignore them.

“Well, it would certainly help our dear Hokage-sama unwind a little,” Asuma prodded again, releasing Takeshi and allowing him to continue cleaning.

“Shut up, Asuma. Not all of us can be happily married with two kids.”

“I don’t know… Have you tried it yet? You might still find-” Asuma stopped as Takeshi looked up suddenly, staring out the window.

“There it is again,” the ex-root muttered. Kakashi spun around just in time to hear a distant explosion and see a plume of smoke erupt from the east side of the city.

“I’ll go check it out. You stay here with Lord Sixth,” Asuma ordered, rushing out the door. Kakashi continued to watch his assistant, still staring out the window. His gaze switched to his leader, a tinge of uncertainty buried in his eyes.

“Hokage-sama…”

“Go. I’ll be fine,” he insisted. The man bowed gratefully before disappearing. Kakashi sat back down, taking a deep breath.

If it wasn’t one thing, it was another. He just really wished they could wait for one issue to resolve itself before encountering the next one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That took a while to post... Sorry about that.
> 
> Yeah, this is probably my favorite chapter so far...
> 
> Apologies to anyone who's angry they didn't get to read the actual bell test... I might write it and post it eventually, but that's not high on my writing to do list at this point.
> 
> The next chapter is coming, but will take more time since I'm also working on three other side projects (two as a part of this series). Hopefully every next chapter will be my favorite from here on out, but it's hard to top the fun of writing Kakashi... Maybe I'll do another from his perspective later on.
> 
> Either way, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it, and expect more in the future.


	5. Chapter 5

The commotion started just as Sasuke stepped into the street.

A blast and plume of smoke shot from the power plant, shaking the earth and sending everyone in the area running for cover. He quickly pushed the curious shoppers back inside the store he had only just escaped.

“Stay inside until everything’s clear!” He ordered. He didn’t wait to see if they obeyed as he ran in the direction of the power plant.

The plant still looked stable as he came to a stop in front of it, but one of the structures was spewing smoke. Bystanders were already reappearing to gawk at the scene. Security had also appeared to keep people out.

“It’s alright, one of the reactors malfunctioned. Everything is under control!” One of them reassured the growing crowd.

“Please, stay back.”

Suddenly the doors behind the guards burst open and a man fled the building, pursued by several plant workers.

“Stop him!” One of the pursuers yelled.

The guards turned just in time for the man to take them down, hitting one with a strong kick and throwing the other to the ground when he moved to grab the assailant. The target quickly leapt over the gathered crowd, evading an off duty ninja who tried to grab him. He hit the ground and immediately began sprinting. Unfortunately for him, Sasuke was faster.

He wore the same uniform as the plant workers. The man had probably caused the reactor to malfunction and was trying to escape. Though what he would gain from such an action, Sasuke wasn’t sure. He supposed he could ask after he caught him.

Sasuke leapt forward to tackle him, but the man skidded suddenly, dodging under Sasuke’s arms. The man kicked him soundly, sending the jonin rolling across the pavement. He sprang up, but the target was already running again. Whoever he was, he was good. Way better than some civilian should have been.

“You’ll have to do better than that!” The man taunted. Sasuke sighed and brushed himself off.

“Don’t worry. I did.”

The target had barely turned back around when he was clotheslined by a figure stepping out of a side alley.

Sasuke released his shadow clone as he subdued the man, tying him up with ninja wire. The man groaned but didn’t struggle, looking around in a daze.

“Wha? Where am I?” He shook his head feebly. Sasuke frowned. He didn’t think he’d hit the man that hard.

“He’s over here!” Sasuke looked up as the security and plant workers approached, seeming to calm down as they realized the man had been caught. Sasuke hoisted the man up, giving him over to the security.

“Hey, what’s going on?”

“You’ve got a lot to answer to, Taizo!”

“What? What do you mean?” The man asked, confused. Sasuke couldn’t have hit him that hard.

One of the guards addressed him politely, bowing slightly in thanks.

“Thank you so much for catching him Mr… Uh...”

“It’s Sasuke Uchiha.” One of the workers popped up beside the guard, his face brightening with excitement.

“Wait, you mean Sasuke of the Black Flames?”

“Uh, yes. Happy to be of service,” Sasuke replied with a stiff bow. The man waved at him quickly.

“No no! Thank _you _!!! I’m sure you’ve got more important things to take care of than some trivial thing like this!”__

__Sasuke sweatdropped. He wasn’t sure how a reactor malfunction could be considered trivial in any situation, particularly with the amount of disturbance it caused._ _

__“Was anyone injured?”_ _

__“Oh, no, no, everyone was alright!” The man beamed. “Oh man, Taizo, you sure were unlucky today! I can’t believe Sasuke of the Black Flames took you down himself! You slippery dog!”_ _

__“That’s enough, Raiga! He’s caused a lot of problems for a lot of people today! Do you have any idea how much it’s going to cost to replace the generator? Did someone pay you to do this? Was it the Kaminarimon group!?” Another man, probably a supervisor, shook the man Sasuke had subdued._ _

__“What? What are you talking about?” Taizo demanded weakly. “I didn’t do nothing!”_ _

__Sasuke felt his skin prickle as another crowd began forming. Many were smiling and waving at him. He even recognised some of them as members of his so-called fan club. Things were going to get bad if he stayed much longer._ _

__“Well, if you’ll excuse me,” he said quietly, dodging into the side alley once more as a puff of smoke obscured his movement. He stayed still as the men cried out in surprise, but the commotion quickly died down again as some ninja appeared to take control of things. Sasuke heaved a sigh of relief and took two steps right into another person._ _

__He stepped back again quickly as the newcomer back peddled and they both froze to stare at each other._ _

__“Takeshi? What are you doing here?”_ _

__“Uh… This way,” the ex-anbu said quietly as he motioned to another side alley. Sasuke followed gratefully, and soon they were both far enough away to talk in peace._ _

__“Takeshi, shouldn’t you be with Hokage-sama?” Sasuke asked quickly._ _

__“I was asked to investigate. Are you alright?”_ _

__“Yeah, I’m fine. It looks like some civilian just kinda snapped. Did you notice anything with your sensory abilities?” The man sighed and shook his head._ _

__“Just that there was a commotion. I suppose I should go help with the investigation now. You sure there’s nothing else you can tell me?”_ _

__Sasuke shook his head. He hadn’t even planned to be there. After he’d sent his shadow clone out shopping he’d only stopped by due to the smoke. His clone hadn’t seen anything useful either._ _

__“Alright, well if you remember anything, let me know.” Takeshi hesitated. “And be careful around town. This is the second time this has happened, so keep your eyes open and if you start to feel anything is off about you or someone around you, let me know immediately.”_ _

__“The second time? What was the first?”_ _

__The younger man looked away with a tight scowl. Then he took a deep breath and gave Sasuke a wide grin as if nothing was wrong._ _

__“Don’t worry about it. Everything will be under control again soon! Just focus on your new assignment, okay?” Takeshi said cheerfully._ _

__Sasuke eyed the younger man suspiciously, but didn’t protest. He certainly had enough on his plate already._ _

__“Just… Make sure it doesn’t happen again. And if anything goes wrong I’m here to help,” he added awkwardly. He really wasn’t very good at the whole heroic side of things, but if he could help he would. Particularly since training genin and taking on d-ranks didn’t sound very interesting._ _

__“Of course!” Takeshi reassured him and bowed. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll get back to work!”_ _

__“Right,” Sasuke muttered as the younger man bounded away._ _

__A nagging feeling of wrongness poked at him and he wondered what was actually going on. Kakashi-sensei was clearly keeping him out of something, but what it was he couldn’t guess. Suddenly he remembered what had him so bothered._ _

__He couldn’t remember where the clone left his groceries._ _

__****_ _

__Sasuke flopped onto his couch, thoroughly done with the day. Between fighting children, shopping, stopping a possible terrorist, and more shopping, he was ready to do nothing. Maybe he should just go to bed. Though, he knew it wasn’t even 6 yet._ _

__With a groan, Sasuke rolled over to look at the clock. If he went to bed immediately, he’d probably wake up around 1 or 2, which was way too early. He still had paperwork to finish as well._ _

__He buried his face into the coach again, trying to make a decision. Finalizing the paperwork would only seal his fate as a jonin sensei._ _

__Sasuke scowled, thinking back to the bell test. He should have done something harder for them to pass. Maybe he should have actually made them get the bells like Sensei said. His own team hadn’t done very well on the test, and yet they had been a great team, at least until..._ _

__He sat up quickly as three knocks sounded on his door, startling him. He wasn’t expecting anyone. He didn’t even want to see anyone._ _

__Sasuke forced himself upright with a groan and plodded over to the door. If it was Shino or Hinata he’d just tell them he was tired and they’d probably leave him alone, but if it was someone more problematic like Commander Tenzo or Kakashi-sensei, he’d have no choice but to humor their visit. He wasn’t expecting any packages, and the mail had already come for the day, so it couldn’t be that easy either._ _

__The jonin took a deep breath to compose himself. Whoever it was, he’d just have to roll with the punches. The door swung open easily and Sasuke froze as he recognized his visitor._ _

__“Uh... Iruka-san...” Sasuke blinked._ _

__“Good evening, Sasuke-san.” Iruka bowed politely, somehow managing to keep the usual metal out of his voice. “I was wondering if you would kindly accompany me to tea. You see, I had something that I wanted to discuss with you.”_ _

__Sasuke snapped out of his surprise and eyed the man suspiciously. Something was definitely wrong._ _

__“It would be my pleasure,” he said at length. The Headmaster nodded in satisfaction and waited patiently as Sasuke grabbed his shoes and flak jacket once more. There went his plans for a quiet, short evening, but considering how polite Iruka was acting he couldn’t just decline. He was too curious._ _

__The walk was awkwardly quiet and Sasuke rubbed his left hand to keep himself from getting anxious. The Headmaster despised him, and yet he was so good at acting professionally in public. Maybe that’s why he’d wanted to meet for tea. They were less likely to lash out if they knew others were around. If only the civility extended to the Hokage’s office as well._ _

__He glanced at the man again, trying to figure out what was really happening. Everyone had been acting strange lately. There was no way Kakashi-sensei and Headmaster Iruka were working together to keep Sasuke out of the current crisis. They hated each other enough, and hardly ever agreed. Unless this situation was that serious… But if it was that serious, why would they keep Sasuke out of it? Did it have something to do with the civilian attacks?_ _

__Sasuke shook his head. That idea was ridiculous. He was probably just being paranoid. The Headmaster and Hokage absolutely despised each other and would never work together on anything less than the end of the world. He could almost smile from his own foolishness. Though what the headmaster wanted with him was still a mystery._ _

__Sasuke stashed the thoughts as Iruka motioned him inside the tea house._ _

__They were quickly seated at one of the corner tables beside a window where they could see outside, but Sasuke wasn’t particularly interested in the view. A rather shy waitress arrived shortly after to take their orders, but even as they waited, Iruka made no moves to explain why he’d asked Sasuke to meet._ _

__They sat in agonizing silence for what seemed to be an eternity. Sasuke fiddled with Itachi’s ring, trying to keep his composure. He wasn’t sure if Iruka was trying to mess with Sasuke’s head, or if he just really wasn’t in a hurry. Of course, Sasuke wasn’t eager to break the silence himself either._ _

__By the time the waitress had returned, they still hadn’t said a word. Iruka wasn’t even making eye contact, though he smiled as their tea arrived._ _

__“Ah, that smells lovely! Thank you, my dear!” The Headmaster beamed. The girl fidgeted and nodded, glancing sidelong at Sasuke. The jonin nodded in return._ _

__“Thank you,” he said politely. The waitress blushed and bowed before retreating back into the kitchen. Sasuke sighed and stared down at his tea, but didn’t particularly feel like actually drinking it. Iruka sipped his own tea, completely happy with taking his time._ _

__The silence was so tense that Sasuke felt he would snap at any moment. He had no idea what the Headmaster had planned, but he knew he wasn’t going to like it. He’d rather just get it over with so he could go home._ _

__Iruka finally broke the silence with a long contented sigh that grated against Sasuke’s already frayed nerves._ _

__“Well, the weather has certainly been lovely this week.”_ _

__“Iruka-san, what was it that you wanted to discuss?” Sasuke cut right to the point, hoping to get this finished as quickly as possible. Small talk made him uncomfortable enough with people he actually liked. In this situation, it was just plain agony._ _

__Iruka sighed and put down his cup, thinking carefully before he spoke._ _

__“I’ve been talking with Hokage-sama, but you know how stubborn he is. He refuses to budge on the matter…” Iruka hesitated. “So I’m asking you to resign.”_ _

__Sasuke stared at the man in shock._ _

__“Look, you and I both know that this is a bad idea. You’re not ready for something like this. You have no experience in teaching. Heck, you’ve run nothing but solo missions for the past 10 years. Plus, you’ve certainly made a lot of enemies, and taking on a genin team only puts them into the line of fire. They aren’t ready for that.”_ _

__A small flame of defiance grew in Sasuke’s chest. He quickly seized control of his emotions, forcing a deep breath._ _

__“I appreciate your concern, but I think I’ll take the assignment,” Sasuke managed to answer casually. “After all, who am I to question the decisions of my Hokage?”_ _

__Iruka’s cool facade cracked momentarily. He probably hadn’t been expecting Sasuke to be so calm._ _

__“Hold on now! We need to think about this logically! Kakashi-sama has certainly made mistakes before and I believe he is incapable of viewing this issue rationally!”_ _

__Sasuke set his cup down with enough force to silence the older man._ _

__“Iruka-san, I’m very painfully aware of your opinion of me and your views on the genin assignments, but certainly you ought to be more careful of what you say about our Hokage in public.” Sasuke glared at him angrily. “Or else you run the risk of sounding treasonous.”_ _

__“You know that’s not what I meant,” Iruka hissed, glancing around cautiously. “But I also know that many others agree with me. It would be better for everyone if you just resigned and Team 7 received a different sensei.”_ _

__Sasuke thought back to the looks he’d receive from Shikamaru, Kiba, and Neji. If he cared about their opinions of him, Iruka might have had a point. Sasuke sighed. The argument had gone on long enough since neither of them would be willing to give in at this point._ _

__He wasn’t even sure why he cared so much. The kids really were annoying brats, and he didn’t feel ready either, but if he gave in now he would only be showing them that they could push him into doing what they wanted. Other people were riding on his success too. Not just Kakashi-sensei, but also the team. Shino and Hinata, and everyone else that had supported him were watching closely. If he gave in to this pressure, if he cracked after receiving the slightest backlash, he’d never be able to live that down. It wasn’t just his pride at stake._ _

__Iruka studied him carefully, waiting for a reply. Sasuke met his gaze evenly, not bothering to hide his ire._ _

__“The answer is no.”_ _

__Iruka’s eyes darkened and he stood swiftly, realizing that nothing he said could change Sasuke’s mind._ _

__“Fine then. But if anything happens to those children, I’m holding you personally responsible.” And with that, he whipped around and stormed off._ _

__Sasuke sagged into the seat, feeling the adrenaline flow out of his body. Well, he supposed there was no going back after that. No matter what happened, he was a jonin sensei and he’d just have to put up with whatever consequences that brought down on him._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that took a while. Honestly, this chapter was really hard to write, so I'm glad than it's done. Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long. This chapter also means that I can start posting one of those side stories I've been talking about. Though it's considerably less along than I'd hoped... This summer's had me a little busy.
> 
> There's not much to say about this chapter... I'll probably think of more to say later.
> 
> Out side of this, you can find character sketches and stuff on my tumblr, the-pyromantic. Yeah, yeah, basic as can be, but it's useful. Anyways, keep your eyes open for the next chapters and the new side story: Shadows of the Past. It's about what Takeshi is actually doing. :)
> 
> Thanks for reading, and remember, it's never dead, just not always in progress.


End file.
